Washing machine



P 0- 1. H. BALL WASHING MACHINE :FilBd April 4,

' 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 swam ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,196,804 WASHING MACHINE Harold 11. Ball, Newark, N. J.

Application April 4, 1936, Serial No. 72,691

6 Claims. This invention relates to washing machines.

In washing machines for metallic parts, dishwashing machines and other washing machines aside from household washing machines where I in Some devices have worked satisfactorily in connection with certain wash products but cannot be used where the machine is required to handle different products. For instance, refuse left on plates creates a different problem from the washing and cleaning of manufactured metallicarticles. In certain cases, the protective sieves or screens become clogged in from four to twenty minutes. When clogged, an attendant must shut down the machine and clean the screen and to protect the circulating water supply the washer must be' drained.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a washing machin'ewherein the wash water is reutilized and wherein the circulatory wash water system is protected from clogging by the materials washed off from the articles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a washing machine that isadapted for universal use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine which can be readily cleaned and one which will operate without the necessity of shutting down for cleaning during the required period of washing.

Referring to the drawings: 1

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation with parts broken out of a device embodying the principles of my invention. 1

Figure 2 is a sectional view of Figure 1 along the line 2, 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In carrying out my invention, I preferably locate the recirculatory system at the side and below the washing chamber l The circulatory system is enclosed in housing i. The wash water passes out of chamber I through orifice 3 into screen container 4. The latter is readily withdrawn from the top of housing 2 by means of handles'S when cleaning is required. Screen container 4 is supported by angle irons 6, 6', at the bottom and by sloping angle irons I on the sides, the latter forming guides or tracks for screen container 4 to be-pulled out thereon. It should be noted that one of the important features is the maintenance of container 4 above the bottom of the machine. Also that the container 4 is practically completely immersed with only a small portion above the water level to prevent the floating off of refuse out of the container 4. I have found that agreat deal of the I refuse in washing articles settles slowly so that by maintaining the container 4 immersed, theparticles do not have the tendency to clog the screen walls of container 4. :A relatively large screen container 4 is provided as well as a relal0 tively large chamber 8 in order to reduce the velocity of flow of the wash water with refuse through container 4. The reduction of the rate of flow of the wash water through screen container 4 has a tendency to prevent the massing l of the refuse particles in one spot clogging the screen walls of container 4. The wash water is free to flow out of five sides and the refuse is free to float within the container. This freedom not only permits of the use of a liner mesh screen, but also permits running the machine for a period as long as may be required.

- With my invention, all the wash water with its dirt, refuse, sediment, etc., flows into screen container 4 and the wash water must flow out gg through the interstices of the walls of screen container 4. Therefore, all the wash water is screened. When screen container 4 is removed for cleaning the refuse contents are contained therein and removed. This is not like the cases a of the ordinary plate screen or screen wherein when the screen is removed for cleaning the refuse drops off into the water during the removal and also that which is not adhering to the screen still remains in the water of the screen chamber. 5

When the screen container 4 is reinserted no damage is done if it does not seat properly on its supports 6', whereas with the plate screen, if it does not seat, particles of material will pass under it. In other words, by my invention, the chamm her 8 is practically maintained clean at all times since container 4 primarily catches the refuse, dirt, etc. 7

It is sometimes advisable with certain forms of refuse in the wash water to create a slight downward current in screen container 4. For instance, with scale which becomesbroken up, the particles are frequently very fine and also in the case of food refusemay float in minute particles. I accomplish this by creating a suction [0 below screen container 4.v This may be either an opening 20 in the floor connected to drain [3 by conduit, or to a separate source of suction. By creating a slight downward current the particles are caused to compact and to form a sludge I or paste on the bottom of screen container 4. Those particles passing through screen container 4 are removed by the suction effect thereby preventing dimculties in connection with cage l I.

Another method for use in connection with -heavy but fine particles is to provide the bottom of container 4' with a solid pan having side partially extending up the sides of container 4. In

this case, the heavy fine particles settle on the bottom pan. The suction effect may or may not be used in connection with the pan method.

I have also found that it is difllcult for universal work to provide a single screen of sufliciently fine mesh necessary to protect the circulating pump and the clogging of the circulating system. A screen placed over the intake 9 of circulating pump in clogs quickly due to the higher velocity, directional force and other physical phenomena and necessitates complete shutting down at relatively short intervals. If the water is not entirely drained out any refuse or other foreign matter will flow into the pump when the screen is removed causing injury to the pump and clogging of the system. In my invention, these difiiculties are overcome by cage II which is in front of opening 9 extending into chamber 8. Cage II is supported by supports l2 above the surface of the floor of chamber 8. The fine sedimentation that passes through the mesh of screen container 4, settles to the bottom of chamber 8 and is washed out through drain I 3. Cage l l is likewise almost entirely immersed thereby presenting the maximum screen area. As the refuse has to the greater part been removed by screen container 4, only fine particles remain and in general these fine particles sink by sedimentation to the floor of chamber 8 and are carried away in the drain I3. Cage II at the top is preferably surrounded by metallic walls 23 extending down below the water line two or three inches. The function of metallic walls 23 is to prevent small floating particles carried by the surface of the wash water from entering cage ll through the screen mesh. The combination of protection against minute floating particles and against minute heavy particles in addition to the protection against the relatively large sized particles, makes a complete system .of protection for the circulatory wash water system.

Thus, I am enabled to use a relatively fine mesh for cage II and due to. its relatively large area, the suction effect oi! pump in has a wide distribution thereby preventing any considerable current from any one direction and lessening in consequence the clogging effect on the meshes of screen H. An auxiliary screemlt is adapted to automatically close the intake 9 of pump lwhenever cage II is removed forcleaning. As

shown, auxiliary screen I! operates in channelsl and is connected by cord or chain I 6 to cage ll over pulley I! so that when cage II is raised auxiliary screen It will be loweredin frontof opening 9.

The discharge of wash water from chamber B is approximately the same in amount as is to prevent the clogging of the bottom of container l and cage II.

It will thus be seen that I have inventeda washing machine operating upon the principles of passing all the wash water through one screen.

and retaining as much as possible of the dirt,

refuse, particles of metal, scale and the like, within the screen container and then passing the water through another screen container wherein the dirt, refuse, particles of metal, scale and the like, are prevented from passing into the container permitting the major portion of the wash water to be reused while at all times protecting the circulating-system from injury and extending thewashing machine into a universal system wherein the cleaning of the screens, if necessary, may be done without shutting down the machine and wherein the cleaning period for the screens is sufliciently infrequent to permit their use for practically all purposes without the general necessity of shutting down during the washing operations.

When I speak in my claims of a screen as being immersed in a liquid, I means a container which is either totally or partly immersed.

What I claim is:

1. In a washing machine, a removable screen container therein having an open top and sides and bottom, the sides and bottom submerged in the wash liquid, means for conducting and directing the wash liquid into said container, means for creating a slight downward current in said container to create sedimentation on the bottom of said container, a circulating pump, an intake for said pump, a removable cage having sides and bottom surrounding said intake, said cage surrounded on the sides and bottom by said wash liquid, a protective screen to cover said intake when said cage is removed for cleaning and a drain for removing the sludge from beneath the cage. I

2. In a washing machine, a casing, a pump exteriorly of said casing for circulating a cleansing liquid within the casing, an intake for said pump, a screened container within said casing and partially submerged in the cleansing liquid circulated therein, an intake for the casing disposed above said container, a screened cage within said casing alongside said container,

said cage also being partially submerged in the cleansing liquid and enclosing said pump intake, said container and said cage being supported above the bottom of said casing, and a suction connected port near the bottom of said casing whereby a slight down flow of the cleansing liquid is caused within the container for sedimentation purposes.

3. In a washing machine, a tank, means including an intake for circulating a cleansing liquid in said tank, a removable screen container in the tank positionedto receive the cleansing liquid therein-the sides and bottom of the container being surrounded by the cleansing liquid passing through said container, a removable screen cage surrounding said intake, said cage having its sides and bottom surrounded by the cleansing liquid, a protective flat removable screen for said intake. and means operatively connecting said flat screen and the cage in such a manner as to cause the flat screen to cover and uncover said intake as a result of the removal and replacement of said screen cage for cleaning.

4. In a washing machine, a tank, means for circulating a cleansing liquid in said tank including an intake, a removable screen container for screening the intake of the circulating means, a

said means comprising a removable screen cage normally surrounding said intake, a supplemental protective screen tor the intake, means for operatively connecting said protective screen and the cage in such a manner that the protective screen acts to cover and uncover said intake simultaneously with and as a result of the removal and replacement of the screen cage for cleaning, and a drain for removal of sludge collecting beneath said cage.

,5. In a washing machine, a tank, means in-.- ciuding an intake for circulating a cleansing liquid in said tank, a removable screen container positioned in the tank to receive the cleansing liquid therein, said container being partially immersed in the cleansing liquid passing therethrough,-.a removable screen cage normally surrounding said intake and partially immersed in the cleansing liquid, a protective flat removable screen for said intake, and means interconnecting said screen cage and said protective screen for uncovering positions relative to the intake simultaneously with and as a result of the removal and replacement movements of the screen cage.

6. In 'a washing machine, a casing, a pump exteriorly of said casing for circulating a cleansing liquid within the casing, an intake for 'said pump, a screened container within said casing and partially submerged in the cleansing liquid circulated therein, an intake for. the casing disposed above said container, a screened cage within said casing alongside said container, said cage also being partially submerged in the cleansing liquid and enclosing said pump intake, said container and cage being supported above the bottom of said casing, and an outlet near the bottom of the casing whereby a slight down 'operatively moving the latter to covering and flow of the cleansing liquid is caused within the 20 container for sedimentation purposes.

HAROLD H. BALL. 

